Bondi Beach

‘A fascinating and charming book. I especially loved the autobiography of a beach…’—Elizabeth Farrelly, Author of Killing Sydney (2021) ‘More than a history of Bondi, Booth’s Bondi Beach: Representations of an Iconic Australian is an autobiography of Australia’s most famous beach. Drawing together meticulous research, this thought-provoking account takes readers on a fascinating journey which culminates in an entrancing account of Bondi Beach from a fresh new perspective.’—Dr. Caroline Ford, Principal Policy Officer, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage at Heritage NSW, Australia
‘Bondi is sacred to many Australians. It is a mecca for international tourists, but how well do we know its history? Professor Doug Booth has comprehensively provided an account of how this beach and its suburb has evolved. It is a remarkable story of struggles to regain beach access for all and to ensure it stays an iconic public asset forever.’—Emeritus Professor Bruce Thom, University of Sydney, Australia
Bondi Beach is a history of an iconic place. It is a big history of geological origins, management by Aboriginal people, environmental despoliation by white Australians, and the formation of beach cultures. It is also a local history of the name Bondi, the origins of the big rock at Ben Buckler, the motives of early land holders, the tragedy known as Black Sunday, the hostilities between lifesavers and surfers, and the hullabaloos around the Pavilion. Pointing to a myriad of representations, author Douglas Booth shows that there is little agreement about the meaning of Bondi. Booth resolves these representations with a fresh narrative that presents the beach’s perspective of a place under siege. Booth’s creative narrative conveys important lessons about our engagement with the physical world.